In the USA, way back when, Massachusetts was considered the shoemaking center of the Colonies. It all started with a colonist by the name of Thomas Beard, who settled in Salem after having arrived on the Mayflower in 1629 nearly four hundred years ago. Beard is widely considered the pioneer of the American footwear industry. Following in his (pun-intended) footsteps, other craftsman began to set-up shop in several small towns surrounding Salem. Subsequently, the industry had grown significantly and by 1768, roughly thirteen thousand pairs of shoes were being exported each year by shoemakers in the geographical area.
All the while, footwear style ran the gamut from slippers to boots, which the latter became extremely popular in the early part of the nineteenth century. By the time boots began to fade from the scene at the turn of the century, the rubber heel was introduced. More importantly, during the first twenty five years of the 20th century, shoes were rather dull and lackluster. However, by the time the 1930’s rolled around, footwear with more style and imagination began to make a long awaited comeback and a new era in men’s footwear had placed its best foot forward!
It wasn’t until the 1960’s with the advent of the Peacock Revolution that men’s shoe fashion began to change radically with new models being introduced each season. Today, the various styles remain wide as to what kind of shoe a man can wear. Let’s face it, there are men who wear practically nothing but sneakers, while others enjoy the opportunity to change styles with each business and social engagement. I can surely proclaim to you as a day is long, when it comes to attire, I’d place my bottom dollar on a good pair of shoes. Briefly, whatever it is that you wear, shoes are terribly important. In fact they reveal a great deal about the person who is wearing them.
A man that buys fine leather shoes today proves that he respects quality, that he has confidence in his taste and in his future. They must be of a design however, that remains stylish through the years. The most important factor involved in the choice of a man’s shoe besides the fit is its appropriateness to the style of clothing that he is wearing. I am not aiming to advocate whimsical-appearing shoes, however. On the contrary: shoes should be befitting to your wardrobe. Nor should the style and color make them appear too contrived.
I still advocate that a man’s business shoe should never be a lighter shade than that of his suit; black and medium to dark brown have always and will continue to offer the proper balance to the business suit.
As we enter into the third decade of the 21st century, mens footwear holds tradition and good taste that dictates what is appropriate for business wear and a man concerned with taste and style would do well to choose from in today’s selections.
Established in 1892, Milton Florsheim began producing shoes in a small factory located in Chicago, Illinois. The first pairs of Florsheim shoes made by Milton and his father, Sigmund, were a remarkable combination of style, comfort and high quality workmanship. In May of 2002, 50 years after the Florsheim trademark had been sold outside the family, it returned to its roots when purchased by Weyco Group headed by Tom Florsheim and John Florsheim, Milton’s great-grandsons. Since then the Chicago based footwear brand has set out to develop footwear wide variation of styles to choose from. I wonder how many men in this day and age, would dare to wear these high-octane colors. I not only find them daring for the office but rather fun-filled to re-energize the holiday spirit!
Using the Florsheim Fuel Wingtip Oxford that combines style and comfort as the base, the Fuel Reflect capsule collection takes its inspiration from the 1930’s Florsheim store neon signs. As I previously stated, the 1930’s was a pivotal point in American men’s footwear. Harkening back to a different era, Florsheim neon signs were art deco inspired pieces that lit up the cities across the entire United States. The Fuel Reflect collection is a playful interpretation of that colorful history with bright hues and reflective qualities all the while combining classic Florsheim style with cutting-edge updates and materials. Built with performance and comfort in mind, the Fuel Reflect collection uses advanced EVA midsole for added cushion and rebound responsiveness for all day comfort and flexibility from durable Flexsole Technology enhanced rubber sole.
“We are truly excited to launch our Fuel Reflect collection this holiday season as it is a unique and unexpected collection from Florsheim,” says John Florsheim, the president and chief operating officer of Weyco Group Incorporated. “At Florsheim, we always strive to create something new and modern but keeping our heritage and signature aesthetic in mind for our customers. With this new capsule, we stepped outside of an everyday color pallet, and the materials we used were combined with our latest silhouette that utilizes the modern EVA sole for comfort and look. We are still maintaining the Florsheim mark, but injecting a breath of fresh air in the Florsheim collection to step into the future.”
Florsheim Shoes is an American brand based in Glendale, Wisconsin. The modern day brand aims to be embrace Florsheim’s heritage of quality and craftsmanship and incorporate the latest in comfort technology and styling. I believe that Florsheim now offers classic dress and casual shoes for today’s customer who wants a little spring in his step!
